NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 16
The girl and the frog were sitting side by side on a low hill.
A pleasant breeze gently tousled the girl’s long hair.
The girl chattered non-stop. The topic was the world outside the well.
Tall buildings reaching toward the sky, city lights that never go out even at dawn, a solid wall that stretches endlessly beyond the horizon.
The frog silently listened to the girl’s words. Eventually, the long conversation came to an end. Turning her head to the frog, the girl finally opened her red, luscious lips, resembling the ripe fruit of a mountain ash.
“…Someday, I want to show it to you.”
*
“…Young master?”
From somewhere, I heard the voice of the driver calling for me.
Suddenly, my eyes, which had been shut, snapped open.
I must have dozed off, losing myself to the rattling vibrations. I felt like I had dreamt of something, but I couldn’t quite recall what it was.
With the aura of dreams still lingering, my head felt fuzzy. Seeing me like that, the driver spoke again.
“…Young master? Are you alright? Is there anywhere that hurts…?”
“…No. More importantly, have we arrived?”
“Yes. Right in front is the capital’s gate. You can’t enter without passing through there. However, external vehicles cannot enter this side… I apologize…”
The driver spoke with a somewhat awkward expression.
There was no real reason I couldn’t go alone. I only had a small travel bag.
“No, I’ll manage from here. Thank you for your trouble.”
“Oh, you’re too kind…”
As I lowered my head, the driver, looking flustered, even took off his hat to bow.
I wasn’t quite used to such excessive politeness, and it made me a bit uncomfortable.
“Ah…”
Before me, as I stepped out of the car, stood a tall, solid wall that I felt I had seen before.
I lost myself for a moment in the grandeur of the sight.
The walls of the capital extended beyond the horizon, with no end in sight, a level that was simply unthinkable compared to a mere shabby village wall.
“…”
Though I took in the wonderful scenery, I felt an inexplicable heaviness in my heart.
I hastily quickened my steps. After walking along the road for about ten minutes, I began to see the main gate of the capital.
There were two entrances. One side was long with a queue, while the other was quite empty, showing a stark contrast.
The long-queued entrance was undergoing strict and meticulous checks. Perhaps that was why people were moving through so slowly.
After much consideration, I decided to line up on the side with more people. The less crowded entrance didn’t seem prepared for someone like me.
I could feel the gazes of the surrounding people glancing over at me. Perhaps it was because I was wearing a mask. It was an inconvenience I had to endure.
After standing in line for several hours, I finally came face to face with a guard who was checking IDs.
“Identification… Oh, what the hell are you wearing? What kind of person are you?”
“…”
The guard spoke to me in a rough manner.
I wasn’t particularly pleased, but I thought it was understandable resentment from someone protecting the city.
Instead of retorting, I chose to simply take out my identification from my pocket and hand it over.
“Name… Yoo Jin-hyun… and…”
It was my new identification created by mixing a suitable character with my mother’s surname.
The guard inspected me and the identification with a suspicious look. Now, his colleague next to him was also watching us closely.
After an appropriate check, the guard brought his finger to the ID. Releasing a faint particle from his fingertip, a purple seal appeared on the ID in reaction.
Upon seeing the seal, the guard’s face suddenly turned pale.
“Oh no… I didn’t recognize you, sir… How could you not use the wizard-exclusive gate…”
The guard bowed deeply, 180 degrees from his previous demeanor. So, there was indeed a separate gate for wizards. No wonder no one was passing through.
“…It just happened this way. Is the check complete?”
“Uh… if you don’t mind, what about that thing on your face?”
The guard cautiously asked, trying to gauge my reaction.
“It’s for healing. I have a wound on my face. If you really need confirmation…”
“Oh no, I can’t commit such a rudeness.”
The guard waved his hands frantically.
“My apologies for the oversight. Please go ahead. Welcome to the final bastion, Masada.”
The guard, having returned my ID, greeted me more warmly than before. It left me feeling a bit deflated since my bag wasn’t even inspected.
I offered a modest nod and passed through the gate. After passing through a dark tunnel, bright light began to pour in from ahead.
As I emerged from the exit, the reality of the capital lay before me.
Towering skyscrapers stacked on top of each other.
Wide, straight roads stretching out in all directions.
A clean river cutting through the city, lined with trees planted along its banks.
Numerous people, with spotless, bright faces, bustling around.
I had lived my whole life in a shabby village, and the only time I visited a small satellite city was for a brief moment.
After that, I shadowed my guardian and sisters, wandering through underdeveloped outskirts.
For me, the sophisticated scenery of the capital was overwhelmingly shocking.
‘…Someday, I want to show it to you.’
In that moment, someone’s voice echoed in my head. I shook my head and tried to shake off the melancholy.
However, according to the guardian, someone was supposed to be here to greet me at the main gate.
“Hey kid. If you keep looking around suspiciously with that mask on, the security team will come to grab you soon, you know?”
I was just about to check my surroundings when suddenly a young woman’s voice caught my attention, causing me to turn my head.
But all I found behind me was an aged crow with gray feathers. There were no shadows of humans to be seen anywhere.
Thinking I might have misheard, the moment the crow opened its beak, that very woman’s voice resonated again.
“You saw it right. I’m the one here to greet you.”
“Uh…?”
While I had often seen the guardians handling crows, seeing a talking crow was a first for me. The bizarre sight left me a bit dazed.
“I’ve been sitting here for two days. Apparently, Jae-hyuk didn’t properly inform me of your arrival time.”
The crow suddenly started complaining, clucking its tongue as if it was especially impressive.
“Um, I’m sorry…”
“Don’t mention it. It’s not your fault. But let’s move somewhere first.”
After finishing its sentence, the crow spread its wings and took flight. I dashed after it, bustling to keep up.
The crow led me behind the large buildings along the main road. It flew past the café street, then through the brick path lined with pubs, and several alleys.
After quite some time, the crow finally landed at the front of a shabby greenhouse at the end of an alley.
Caw!
The crow lightly cawed at me, looking as if it was urging me on.
Clank!
After contemplating a bit, I carefully stood in front of the entrance of the greenhouse. The iron door opened suddenly without warning. It almost looked like it was beckoning me to enter.
Eventually, I stepped inside. Only then did the crow, which had been observing me, take off into the sky.
The inside of the greenhouse was filled with a warm atmosphere. A faint smell of leaf mold wafted through the air. Colorful, unnamed tropical plants thrived all around.
I continued down the narrow gravel path that wove between the plants. Soon, I reached a lounge-like area with a sofa and table.
In the corner, I spotted the back of a woman fumbling with something in a cupboard.
“Excuse me…”
“It’s almost done. Just sit there and wait a moment.”
Just as I was about to speak, a reply came almost as if she had eyes on the back of her head.
The same voice that had emerged from the crow just moments ago now came from the woman.
I sat on the sofa beside the table, as she had said.
Clatter
“Uh…?”
Moments later, I heard a noise and turned my head. I saw teacups, tea coasters, and teaspoons floating through the air.
A gentle steam wafted up from the teacups.
The flying tea set landed precisely in front of me. The teaspoon jumped into the teacup and began to stir itself clockwise. The subtle aroma of tea spread into the air.
“Is this your first time seeing telekinesis?”
I was mesmerized by the sight and suddenly heard a voice speaking next to me, prompting me to turn my head.
Sitting on the sofa beside me was the owner of the voice, a young woman who seemed slightly younger than the guardian.
Dressed in a dark top and a shiny skirt, she exuded elegance. There was also a strangely fragrant scent in the air.
However, despite her appearance, there seemed to be a depth of experience in her eyes.
“…I’ve seen the guardian attempt it a few times. Though each time, he ended up breaking the cups and causing all sorts of havoc…”
“Puhuh… If it’s him, he won’t be able to do it even in 50 years. Telekinesis is a magic that requires delicacy instead of explosiveness. It’s not easy for a young mage to do, especially for a powerful one.”
The woman chuckled, covering her mouth lightly.
“…By the way, that crow from earlier…?”
“It was just borrowing a body for a bit. I couldn’t just wait there myself, could I?”
“You borrowed… it?”
“Right. As the bond with the owner deepens, it naturally happens. You’ll get used to it. You’ll see even more impressive things in the future.”
The woman changed the subject and continued to chat for a while. I learned about yesterday’s weather and today’s traffic accidents through her chatter. Fortunately, I didn’t feel uncomfortable, as I was used to listening to someone else’s prattle.
“Oh my, look at me rambling on. I’m so sorry. Anyway, here’s the deal…”
The woman suddenly had a thoughtful look on her face, as if she had remembered something. Then she cleared her throat, straightened her posture, and looked at me.
“Ahem. Nice to meet you. My name is Haewolhwa. I’m currently the head of the Cradle. And… I’m also the one who granted your recommendation for admission.”